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How to Breed a Piebald

A rare disorder for many animals, humans included, is a genetic mutation known as piebaldism, which results in stark, white patches of skin lacking any pigment. In the snakes-as-pets world, the piebald ball python is a prized specimen, one that requires the right kind of mates to produce the right kind of babies. Breeding any captive snakes can be tricky. It's not just opening a door and turning your back to give them privacy. For piebald pythons, you'll have to line up suitable partners while creating an artificial environment that mimics the natural changing of seasons.

Things You'll Need

2 tanks or enclosures for male and female, the female's large enough to comfortably accommodate both snakes and a hibernation area
Hibernation areas
Egg incubator
Temperature-control aquarium lights

Instructions

- 1
  Acquire a male and female piebald ball python and keep them well fed in separate tanks that allow for regular movement. These can be piebalds showing the lack of pigmentation or carriers of the gene mutation, called heterozygous piebalds. Get written assurance from the person providing your snakes that they are indeed genetically predisposed to be piebald ball pythons.
- 2
  Feed your piebald male and female ball pythons regularly, according to their tastes in live prey, to fatten them up for a winter hibernation. According to Constrictors Unlimited, captive male pythons are ready to mate as young as 6 months old, but females won't be ready until they're at least 18 months old, at a weight that should exceed 2.5 lbs.
- 3
  Time your aquarium lighting to turn off when the sun goes down every day and on at dawn. Start this in summer, and continue through a hibernation period that will start in November or December. This will decrease the temperature to the low 70s at night to simulate the natural world. Monitor the temperature regularly to ensure it's dropping in the evening. If your snakes experience a hibernation period during their first winter, better success at breeding may occur in subsequent years.
- 4
  Introduce the male to the female's enclosure in late fall. They should be instantly interested in each other and attempt to mate in an hour or two.
- 5
  Inspect the female piebald for egg follicles developing at its vaginal cavity under the snake near the where the tail starts to taper. If egg follicles are developing, keep the male with the female; otherwise, give the two equal time together and apart.
- 6
  Continue to let the snakes mingle until the end of the mating season around the beginning of February. Inspect the female regularly for a round, swollen mid-section, indicating ovulation. Another sign that ovulation has occurred: The female piebald will shed her skin.
- 7
  Remove the male piebald from the female's enclosure once you observe ovulation. Move the eggs to an incubator as soon as they're laid, and follow the incubator manufacturer's instructions for the care of your piebald eggs and babies.

Animals & Science